2011 High School Football Guide

EL CAJON  When Shane Dillon was tossing the football around with the neighborhood kids during his adolescent years, he contemplated where he might attend high school. His home was just a hitch pass shy of Valhalla, and the Norsemen were known for throwing the ball.

That would have been a comfy fit except close friend Pete Thomas was the headliner making the passes for Valhalla. So Dillon looked elsewhere and landed at Christian High.

It was a wise move for Dillon, who has passed for 3,383 yards and 23 touchdowns over the past two seasons. The 6-foot-6, 195-pound senior quarterback has accepted a scholarship offer to new Pac-12 member Colorado, choosing the Buffaloes over Ohio State, Alabama, Florida State, Oregon and USC among others.

Dillon and Thomas, now a sophomore at Colorado State, are still on track to cross paths when the Rams face Colorado in the 2012 season opener.

“How cool will that be?” Dillon said. “I’m excited about that.”

This season, Dillon will lead a Christian offense that’s sure to be among the most explosive sky shows in the region. Teaming with Dillon will be senior receivers Kyle Harris (61 catches, 1,174 yards, 7 TDs), Jason Gaines (46, 573, 3) and Josh Feldscher (44, 579, 4).

“Is it fun to play with a celebrity like Shane? Sure it is,” Harris said. “The big thing is he’s kept his head straight and hasn’t gotten too cocky. We’re a lot faster team than a year ago and we have a ton of new plays.”

Dillon earned a spot among the Elite 11 as one of the nation’s top senior high school quarterbacks featured on ESPN this summer. Cameras captured the QBs while they competed in regional camps across the country, hoping to gain an invitation to the five-day finals staged at Pepperdine University. From the 24 finalists, the Elite 11 were chosen.

“He’s our trigger man,” Christian offensive coordinator David Beezer said of Dillon. “He can make three reads on every play — that gives us more options than most teams have.”

The 6-foot-4, 200-pound Gaines should help take the pressure off Harris, who will be consistently double-teamed by Christian’s opponents after leading the East County in receiving last year.

“Shane looks kinda like a freak because he always has his hair spiked,” Gaines said. “That’s really important to him. But when it comes to throwing the football he knows his stuff. His throws are almost automatic, and that surely will be the case this year.”

Dillon had his finest game last season against state bowl champion Bishop’s, completing 28 of 43 passes for 454 yards and five touchdowns in a game the Patriots lost 56-44.

“I can’t imagine how good he’ll be this year because he was awfully good last year,” Bishop’s coach Joel Allen said. “He is certainly an elite quarterback who stands in the pocket and delivers the quick pass no matter what kind of offensive line he has.”